Freedom Finances: an open palm

We’re shopping for a house. When the kids first heard, they panicked. “Are we moving?” We’re not moving.

But we’re looking for more passive income.

Passive income comes from places where I earn money without working. When I sock money into a savings account, I am earning passive income with the interest. (Barely, but that’s another topic.)

We’re looking for a rental property.

We’ve talked in Freedom Finances for several weeks about getting on the topside of interest. Instead of paying interest, earn it. Instead of spending every penny, save some.

More than once, Jesus spoke of investing money. The classic is the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Although Jesus’ point was not investing, he didn’t condemn it but praised the two servants who invested while condemning the one who refused to invest.

For some Christians, making money through passive income seems vaguely wrong. Jesus didn’t have a savings account, did he?

No, he didn’t. But he had some finances. (Judas handled the ministry treasury.) And we know that some wealthy women followed him, suggesting they may have helped with the daily expenses. Certainly, wealthy people contributed to the apostles as they traveled throughout the civilized world spreading the gospel.

God needs followers in all financial classes. The issue for us as followers of Jesus isn’t accumulation of money, but how we use that money. If money is gathered just to make me comfortable and safe, then I’m wrong.

But if money is gathered so that missionaries can be financed, Bibles printed, widows assisted, then the riches are very helpful.

Investing isn’t wrong. God used investors to finance the outreach of the early church and to provide for Jesus’ followers.

Money, like all things, is not to be held in a clenched fist but in an open palm.